(Pssst…If you still haven’t tried Windows Azure what are you waiting for? Let me give you some encouragement. How about 90 days for free on me. Just go here to learn more.)

If you live in or around Austin, TX I invite you to attend next week’s Windows Azure IaaS Bootcamp. If you aren’t close to Austin, TX find a location closer to you here.

Whether you build apps or support the infrastructure that runs the apps, the cloud can be a really big place. For some, it’s a natural evolution for their application and infrastructure to embrace the power and scale of the cloud. For others, it’s a journey that has to begin with a single step.

Windows Azure provides that first step with a scalable, flexible platform for deploying your applications your way. With our Infrastructure as a Service platform (IaaS) called Windows Azure Virtual Machines, you get the flexibility to choose between Windows and Linux with full control over the operating system configuration and installed software, matched with the portability of Hyper-V disk images. Windows Azure Virtual Machines provide the perfect environment for meeting all of your Infrastructure-as-a-Service needs.

To learn more about our Infrastructure as a Service platform, we invite all developers and IT Professionals to join local Microsoft cloud experts as they introduce you to the Microsoft Cloud Platform, dive deep into Windows Azure Virtual Machines, and help walk you through a hands-on demonstration of the power of IaaS on the Windows Azure platform.

You can register for the session here.

Session Requirements

Be sure to bring a modern laptop that is capable of running the following to make the most of your time at the Bootcamp:

• A modern operating system, including Windows 7, Windows 8, Linux and Mac OS X
• A modern web browser, including IE 9, IE 10, Chrome, Firefox and Safari
• A remote desktop client
  • Microsoft client available for Mac at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=18140
  • Mac and Linux client available from 2X at http://www.2x.com/rdp-client/windows-linux-mac/downloadlinks/

The lab portion of this exercise will require you to connect to the Windows Azure Portal via a modern web browser where you will provision three separate virtual machines in the cloud and configure them each via a Remote Desktop client connection. The lab materials are all online, so no special software is required to install or use them.

If you want to work on other labs while you’re here, you might also want to install the various tools and frameworks that are part of the Windows Azure SDK. Check out various downloads here. Installers are available on that site for Windows, Mac and Linux platforms. Details on system requirements for those SDKs can be found by following that link.

All participants registering for the event will get a FREE 90-day trial of the Windows Azure platform and services, including access to the Virtual Machines preview.

All participants that successfully complete the lab and demonstrate their running application to the instructor will be put into a drawing for some amazing prizes!

Seriously? You still haven’t tried Windows Azure? No worries, I can help you with that! For a free 90 day trial just go here.